France is divided into 26 régions: 21 of these are in the continental part of metropolitan France, one is Corse on the island of Corsica (although strictly speaking Corse is in fact a territorial collectivity, not a région, but is referred to as a région in common... Région doutre-mer, or Overseas regions, is a recent designation given to the départements doutre-mer which have similar powers to those of the régions of metropolitan France. ... Template:France divisions levels, Junkyard Willie The départements (or departments) are administrative units of France and many former French colonies, roughly analogous to British counties. ... Under the 1946 Constitution of the Fourth Republic, the French colonies of Guadeloupe, Martinique and French Guiana in the Caribbean and Réunion in the Indian Ocean became départements doutre-mer (Overseas departments) or DOMs. ... The 100 French départements are divided into 342 arrondissements. ... The canton is an administrative division of France. ... A communauté urbaine (urban community in English) is the higher degree of intercommunal cooperation in France. ... A communauté dagglomération is a metropolitan government structure in France, created by the Loi Chevénement in 1999. ... A Communauté de communes is a federation of several municipalities in France. ... The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. ... The municipal arrondissement (French: arrondissement municipal), more simply referred to as arrondissement, is a level of administrative division in France lower than the commune. ... A collectivité doutre-mer (in English Overseas Community) or COM, is an administrative division of France. ... Map of New Caledonia New Caledonia (French: Nouvelle-Calédonie; popular names: Kanaky, Le caillou) is a French territory of 18,575 km² (7,172 sq. ... Pays doutre-mer (POM, French for overseas country) is the particular designation the collectivité doutre-mer (COM) of French Polynesia. ... A Territoire doutre-mer (TOM, French for Overseas territory) is an administrative division of France. ... The Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean (French: Îles Éparses or Îles éparses de locéan indien) comprise four small coral islands and an atoll in the Indian Ocean. ...

Metropolitan France

As of January 1, 2004, metropolitan France is divided into: Metropolitan France (French: la France métropolitaine, or just la Métropole) refers to the part of France in Europe, including Corsica, as opposed to the overseas departments and overseas territories, which, while integral parts of the French Republic, are regarded as Overseas France (la France doutre-mer, or... January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... It has been designated the: International Year of Rice (by the United Nations) International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO) 2004 World Health Day topic was Road Safety (by World Health Organization) Year of the Monkey (by the Chinese calendar) See the world in...

• 22 régions (although strictly speaking Corsica is in fact a "territorial collectivity", not a région, but is referred to as a région in common speech)
• the régions are divided into 96 départements
• the départements are divided into 329 arrondissements
• the arrondissements are divided into 3,879 cantons
• the cantons are divided into 36,568 communes
• 3 communes (Paris, Marseille, and Lyon) are further divided into 45 municipal arrondissements

Furthermore, as of January 1, 2006, there exist 2,558 intercommunal structures grouping 32,826 communes (89.7% of all the communes of metropolitan France), with 51.98 million people living in them (85.7% of the population of metropolitan France). These intercommunal structures are: France is divided into 26 régions: 21 of these are in the continental part of metropolitan France, one is Corse on the island of Corsica (although strictly speaking Corse is in fact a territorial collectivity, not a région, but is referred to as a région in common... Capital Ajaccio Land area¹ 8,680 km² Regional President ² Ange Santini (UMP) (since 2004) Population  - Jan. ... Template:France divisions levels, Junkyard Willie The départements (or departments) are administrative units of France and many former French colonies, roughly analogous to British counties. ... The 100 French départements are divided into 342 arrondissements. ... The canton is an administrative division of France. ... The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. ... , The Eiffel Tower, the tallest structure in Paris, is an international symbol of the city. ... City motto: Actibus immensis urbs fulget Massiliensis. ... City motto: Avant, avant, Lion le melhor. ... The municipal arrondissement (French: arrondissement municipal), more simply referred to as arrondissement, is a level of administrative division in France lower than the commune. ... January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. ...

• 14 Urban Communities (communautés urbaines)
• 158 Communities of Agglomeration (communautés d'agglomération)
• 2,380 Communities of Communes (communautés de communes)
• 6 Syndicates of New Agglomeration (syndicats d'agglomération nouvelle), a category soon to disappear.

A communauté urbaine (urban community in English) is the higher degree of intercommunal cooperation in France. ... A communauté dagglomération is a metropolitan government structure in France, created by the Loi Chevénement in 1999. ... A Communauté de communes is a federation of several municipalities in France. ...

Overseas

The French Republic is further made up of the following overseas administrative divisions:

• 4 overseas régions (régions d'outre-mer): Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, and Réunion, which have the same status as metropolitan régions (as much as Hawaii has the same status as a continental US state), each of these overseas régions also being an overseas département (département d'outre-mer, or DOM), with the same status as a département of metropolitan France. This double structure (région/département) is new, due to the recent extension of the regional scheme to the overseas départements, and may soon transform into a single structure, with the merger of the regional and departmental assemblies, unless new départements are created such as in the case of Réunion, where it has been proposed to create a second département in the south of the island, with the région of Réunion above these two départements.

• these DOM are divided into 13 arrondissements
• these 13 arrondissements are divided into 156 cantons
• these 156 cantons make up 114 communes (in the 4 DOM, there are more cantons than communes, unlike in metropolitan France, because many communes are divided into several cantons, whereas in metropolitan France in general cantons are made up of several communes, except in large communes like Toulouse or Lille which are divided into several cantons)
• Furthermore, as of January 1, 2006, there exist 15 intercommunal structures in the DOM, grouping 87 communes (76.3% of all the communes of the DOM), with 1.35 million people living in them (78.7% of the population of the DOM). These intercommunal structures are:

• 6 Communities of Agglomeration (communautés d'agglomération)
• 9 Communities of Communes (communautés de communes)

• 4 overseas collectivities (collectivités d'outre-mer): French Polynesia, Mayotte, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon and Wallis and Futuna

• French Polynesia (designated as a "overseas country", French: pays d'outre-mer) is divided into 5 administrative subdivisions (subdivisions administratives). For elections it is divided into 6 electoral districts (circonscriptions électorales) which differ slightly from the 5 administrative subdivisions. The 5 administrative subdivisions are divided into 48 communes.
• Mayotte (designated as a "departmental collectivity", French: collectivité départementale) is divided into 17 communes. No arrondissements. Cantons are the same as communes in Mayotte.
• Saint-Pierre and Miquelon (named Collectivité territoriale de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon) is divided into 2 communes. No arrondissements, no cantons.
• Wallis and Futuna (named Territoire des îles Wallis et Futuna) is divided into 3 districts (circonscriptions territoriales) which exactly match the three traditional chiefdoms (royaumes coutumiers) with their traditional kings still at their head, the only kings currently recognized in the French Republic. These 3 districts are: Uvea, Sigave, and Alo. Uvea is the most populous and is further divided into 3 wards (districts in French): Hahake, Mua, and Hihifo. No arrondissements, no cantons. Wallis and Futuna is also the only permanently inhabited territory of the French Republic with no communes.

• 1 sui generis collectivity (collectivité sui generis): New Caledonia, whose status is unique in the French Republic: it is the only territory which is not a collectivité terrioriale (although its subdivisions are collectivités territoriales). A self-determination referendum is scheduled for 2014 to decide the future status of the island.

• New Caledonia is divided into 3 provinces
• the provinces are divided into 33 communes

• 1 overseas territory (territoire d'outre-mer, or TOM): the French Southern and Antarctic Lands

• the French Southern and Antarctic Lands are divided into 4 districts (districts in French): 1- Kerguelen Islands, 2- Crozet Islands, 3- Amsterdam Island and Saint Paul Island, and 4- Adelie Land (Terre Adélie), although sovereignty over Adelie Land in Antarctica is suspended since the signing of the Antarctic Treaty in 1959. No permanent population, no communes.

• Uninhabited islands which belong directly to the central State public land (domaine public d'Etat):

• a collection of five islands in the Indian Ocean with no permanent population and known as Îles Éparses ("Scattered Islands"), which are administered by the prefect of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands: Bassas da India, Europa, Juan de Nova, Glorioso, and Tromelin.
• 1 uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico which is administered by the high-commissioner of the French Republic in French Polynesia: Clipperton.

Région doutre-mer, or Overseas regions, is a recent designation given to the départements doutre-mer which have similar powers to those of the régions of metropolitan France. ... Under the 1946 Constitution of the Fourth Republic, the French colonies of Guadeloupe, Martinique and French Guiana in the Caribbean and Réunion in the Indian Ocean became départements doutre-mer (Overseas departments) or DOMs. ... The 100 French départements are divided into 342 arrondissements. ... The canton is an administrative division of France. ... The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. ... The Capitole, the 18th century city hall of Toulouse and best known landmark in the city; in the foreground is the Place du Capitole, a hub of urban life at the very center of the city Toulouse (pronounced in standard French (help· info), in local Toulouse accent (help· info)) (Occitan... City motto: – City proper (commune) Région Nord-Pas de Calais Département Nord (59) Mayor Martine Aubry (PS) (since 2001) Area 39. ... January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A communauté dagglomération is a metropolitan government structure in France, created by the Loi Chevénement in 1999. ... A Communauté de communes is a federation of several municipalities in France. ... A collectivité doutre-mer (in English Overseas Community) or COM, is an administrative division of France. ... Saint-Pierre and Miquelon (French Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon) 46°47′N 56°12′W is a French overseas collectivity consisting of several small islands off the eastern coast of Canada near Newfoundland. ... The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. ... The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. ... The 100 French départements are divided into 342 arrondissements. ... The canton is an administrative division of France. ... Saint-Pierre and Miquelon (French Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon) 46°47′N 56°12′W is a French overseas collectivity consisting of several small islands off the eastern coast of Canada near Newfoundland. ... The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. ... The 100 French départements are divided into 342 arrondissements. ... The canton is an administrative division of France. ... The Collectivity of Wallis and Futuna (French: Collectivité de Wallis et Futuna) is a group of mainly three volcanic tropical islands (Wallis, Futuna, and Alofi) with fringing reefs located in the South Pacific Ocean between Fiji and Samoa. ... Sigave is one of the three official chiefdoms of the French territory of Wallis and Futuna, which is located on the western part of Futuna Island. ... The 100 French départements are divided into 342 arrondissements. ... The canton is an administrative division of France. ... The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. ... Map of New Caledonia New Caledonia (French: Nouvelle-Calédonie; popular names: Kanaky, Le caillou) is a French territory of 18,575 km² (7,172 sq. ... The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. ... A Territoire doutre-mer (TOM, French for Overseas territory) is an administrative division of France. ... Kerguelen Islands Orthographic projection centred over Kerguelen Island The Kerguelen Archipelago is in the southern Indian Ocean at 49°20′ S 70°20′ E. The main island, Grande Terre, originally called Desolation Island, is 6,675 km2 and it is surrounded by another 300 smaller islands and islets, forming an... Orthographic projection centred over the Iles Crozet The Crozet Islands (French: ÃŽles Crozet or officially Archipel Crozet) are a sub-antarctic archipelago of small islands in the southern Indian Ocean, part of the French Southern Territories. ... Île Amsterdam is a sub-Antarctic island discovered by Juan Sebastián de Elcano on March 18, 1522. ... ÃŽle Saint-Paul is a very small island in the French Southern Territories about 85 km (53 mi) south of its larger counterpart ÃŽle Amsterdam. ... The French Southern Territories (long name: Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands, French: Territoire des Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises or TAAF) are antarctic, volcanic islands in the southern Indian Ocean, south of Africa and about equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia. ... For the Antarctic Treaty from the Gundam anime, see Antarctic Treaty (Gundam) The Antarctic Treaty and related agreements, collectively called the Antarctic Treaty System or ATS, regulate the international relations with respect to Antarctica, Earths only uninhabited continent. ... The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. ... In all modern states, some land is held by central or local governments. ... The Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean (in French ÃŽles éparses de locéan indien) are five islands of the Indian Ocean with no permanent population, Bassas da India, Europa, Juan de Nova, Glorioso, and Tromelin. ... Clipperton Island (French: ÃŽle de Clipperton and sometimes ÃŽle de la Passion) is an uninhabited seven-square-kilometer coral atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, 1,300 km southwest of Mexico, at 10°18′N 109°13′W. It is an overseas possession of France administered from French Polynesia by...

Collectivités territoriales

French administrative subdivisions that have a (limited) freedom of administration are called collectivités territoriales. Among them are régions, départements, communes, régions d'outre-mer, départements d'outre-mer, collectivités d'outre-mer, provinces (New Caledonia) and the "collectivité territoriale de Corse (Corsica)" which belongs to no category (but is close to régions). New Caledonia is unique as it is not a collectivité territoriale. // Metropolitan France As of January 1, 2004, metropolitan France is divided into: 22 régions (although strictly speaking Corsica is in fact a territorial collectivity, not a région, but is referred to as a région in common speech) the régions are divided into 96 départements the... // Metropolitan France As of January 1, 2004, metropolitan France is divided into: 22 régions (although strictly speaking Corsica is in fact a territorial collectivity, not a région, but is referred to as a région in common speech) the régions are divided into 96 départements the...

General rules

Citizens from all parts of France, including overseas possessions, vote in national elections (presidential, legislative) and all collectivities are represented in the Senate. The President of France, known officially as the President of the Republic (Président de la République in French), is Frances elected Head of State. ... The Palais Bourbon, front The French National Assembly (French: Assemblée nationale) is one of the two houses of the bicameral Parliament of France under the Fifth Republic. ... The Senate (in French : le Sénat) is the upper house of the Parliament of France. ...

List of départements

Capital Strasbourg Land area¹ 8,280 km² Regional President Adrien Zeller (UMP) (since 1996) Population  - Jan. ... History The département was created on March 4, 1790, during the French Revolution. ... Haut-Rhin is a French département, named after the Rhine river. ... Capital Bordeaux Land area¹ 41,309 km² Regional President Alain Rousset (PS) (since 1998) Population  - Jan. ... Dordogne is a département in central France named after the Dordogne River. ... Gironde is a département in the southwest of France named after the Gironde Estuary. ... Landes is a département in southern France. ... Lot-et-Garonne is a département in the southwest of France named after the Lot and Garonne rivers. ... Pyrénées-Atlantiques (Gascon: Pirenèus-Atlantics; Basque: Pirinio-Atlantiarrak or Pirinio-Atlantikoak) is a département in the southwest of France which takes its name from the Pyrenees mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. ... Capital Clermont-Ferrand Area 26,013 km² Regional President Pierre-Joël Bonté (PS) (since 2004) Population  - 2004 estimate  - 1999 census  - Density (Ranked 19th) 1,327,000 1,308,878 51/km² (2004) Arrondissements 14 Cantons 158 Communes 1,310 Départements Allier Cantal Haute-Loire Puy-de-Dôme... Allier is a département in south-central France named after the Allier River. ... Cantal is a département in south-central France. ... Haute-Loire is a département in south-central France named after the Loire River. ... Building of the Conseil Général of the Puy-de-Dôme département, in Clermont-Ferrand Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Puy-de-Dôme Puy-de-Dôme is a département. ... Capital Caen Area 17,589 km² Regional President Philippe Duron (PS) (since 2004) Population   - 2004 estimate   - 1999 census   - Density (Ranked 17th) 1,443,000 1,422,193 82/km² (2004) Arrondissements 11 Cantons 141 Communes 1,812 Départements Calvados Manche Orne Notes: 1 This is the flag of Normandy... For the apple brandy produced in the region, see Calvados (spirit). ... Manche is a French département in Normandy named after La Manche (the sleeve), which is the French name of the English Channel. ... Orne is a département in the northwest of France named after the Orne River. ... Capital Dijon Land area¹ 31,582 km² Regional President François Patriat (PS) (since 2004) Population  - Jan. ... For other uses, see Côte dOr (disambiguation). ... Nièvre is a département in the center of France named after the Nièvre River. ... Saône-et-Loire is a French département, named after the Saône and the Loire rivers between which it lies. ... Yonne is a French département named after the Yonne River. ... Capital Rennes Area 27,209 km² Regional President Jean-Yves Le Drian (PS) (since 2004) Population   - 2004 estimate   - 1999 census   - Density (Ranked 7th) 3,011,000 2,906,197 111/km² (2004) Arrondissements 15 Cantons 201 Communes 1,268 Départements Côtes-dArmor Ille-et-Vilaine Morbihan Finist... Côtes-dArmor (French) / Aodoù-an-Arvor (Breton) is a département in the north of Brittany, in northwestern France. ... Finistère (Penn-ar-Bed in Breton) is a département of France, located in Brittany (Bretagne in French). ... Ille-et-Vilaine is a département of France, located in Brittany (Bretagne in French) in the northwest corner of France. ... Morbihan is a département in the northwest of France named after the Morbihan (small sea in Breton), the enclosed sea that is the principal feature of the coastline. ... Capital Orléans Land area¹ 39,151 km² Regional President Michel Sapin (PS) (1998 to 2000, and since 2004) Population  - Jan. ... Cher is a département in the center of France. ... Eure-et-Loir is a French département, named after the Eure and Loir rivers. ... Indre is a département in the center of France named after the Indre River. ... Indre-et-Loire is a département in west-central France named after the Indre and the Loire rivers. ... Loir-et-Cher is a département in north-central France named after its two principal rivers. ... Loiret is a département in north-central France named after the Loiret River. ... Capital Châlons-en-Champagne Land area¹ 25,606 km² Regional President Jean-Paul Bachy (PS) (since 2004) Population  - Jan. ... Ardennes is a département in the northeast of France named after the Ardennes area. ... Aube is a département in the northeastern part of France named after the Aube River. ... Marne is a département in northeastern France named after the Marne River which flows through the département. ... Haute-Marne is a département in the northeast of France named after the Marne River. ... Capital Ajaccio Land area¹ 8,680 km² Regional President ² Ange Santini (UMP) (since 2004) Population  - Jan. ... Corse-du-Sud is a French département. ... Haute-Corse is a French département. ... Capital Besançon Land area¹ 16,202 km² Regional President Raymond Forni (PS) (since 2004) Population  - Jan. ... Doubs is a département in eastern France named after the Doubs River. ... Jura is a department in the east of France named after the Jura mountains (not be confused with the Swiss canton of Jura). ... Haute-Saône is a French département, named after the Saône River. ... The Territoire de Belfort is a département in the Franche-Comté région of eastern France. ... Capital Rouen Land area¹ 12,318 km² Regional President Alain Le Vern (PS) (since 1998) Population  - Jan. ... Eure is a département in the north of France named after the Eure River. ... Seine-Maritime is a French département in Normandy. ... Capital Paris Area 12,011 km² Regional President Jean-Paul Huchon (PS) (since 1998) Population   - 2004 estimate   - 1999 census   - Density (Ranked 1st) 11,264,000 10,952,011 938/km² (2004) Arrondissements 25 Cantons 317 Communes 1,281 Départements Essonne Hauts-de-Seine Paris Seine-Saint-Denis Seine-et... , The Eiffel Tower, the tallest structure in Paris, is an international symbol of the city. ... Seine-et-Marne is a French département, named after the Seine and the Marne rivers, and located in the ÃŽle-de-France région. ... Yvelines is a French département in the région of ÃŽle-de-France. ... The French département of Essonne is part of the région of ÃŽle-de-France. ... Hauts-de-Seine is a département in France. ... Seine-Saint-Denis is a French département located in the ÃŽle-de-France région. ... Val-de-Marne is a French département, named after the Marne River, located in the ÃŽle-de-France région. ... Val-dOise is a French département named after the Oise River, located in the ÃŽle-de-France région. ... Capital Montpellier Land area¹ 27,376 km² Regional President Georges Frêche (PS) (since 2004) Population  - Jan. ... Aude is a département in south-central France named after the Aude River. ... Gard is a département located in le midi, the south of France, named after the river Gardon (or Gard). ... Hérault is a département in the southwest of France named after the Hérault River. ... Lozère is a département in southeast France near the Massif Central. ... Pyrénées-Orientales (Eastern Pyrenees, Catalan: Pirineus Orientals) is a département of southern France adjacent to the northern Spanish frontier and the Mediterranean Sea. ... Capital Limoges Land area¹ 16,942 km² Regional President Jean-Paul Denanot (PS) (since 2004) Population  - Jan. ... Corrèze is a département in the center of France, named after the Corrèze River. ... Creuse is a département in central France named after the Creuse River. ... Haute-Vienne is a French département named after the Vienne River. ... Capital Metz Land area¹ 23,547 km² Regional President Jean-Pierre Masseret (PS) (since 2004) Population  - Jan. ... Meurthe-et-Moselle is a département in the northeast of France named after the Meurthe and Moselle rivers. ... Meuse is a département in northeast France, named after the Meuse River. ... Moselle is a département in the northeast of France named after the Moselle River. ... Vosges is a French département, named after the Vosges mountain range. ... Capital Toulouse Land area¹ 45,348 km² Regional President Martin Malvy (PS) (since 1998) Population  - Jan. ... Ariège is a département in southwestern France named after the Ariège River. ... Aveyron is a département in southern France named after the Aveyron River. ... Haute-Garonne is a département in the southwest of France named after the Garonne river. ... Gers is a département in the southwest of France named after the Gers River. ... Lot is a département in the southwest of France named after the Lot River. ... Hautes-Pyrénées is a département in southwestern France. ... For other uses, see Tarn (disambiguation). ... Tarn-et-Garonne is a French département in the southwest of France. ... Capital Lille Area 12,414 km² Regional President Daniel Percheron (PS) (since 2001) Population   - 2004 estimate   - 1999 census   - Density (Ranked 4th) 4,026,000 3,996,588 324/km² (2004) Arrondissements 13 Cantons 156 Communes 1,546 Départements Nord Pas-de-Calais Nord-Pas de Calais is one of... Extent of Flemish in the Arrondissement of Dunkirk, 1874 and 1972 Nord (French: North) is a département in the north of France. ... Pas-de-Calais is a département in northern France named after the strait which it borders. ... Région Pays-de-la-Loire Information Capital: Nantes Population  - Total  - Density 3 222 061 (1999) 100 /km² Area 32 082 km² Arrondissements 17 Cantons 203 Communes 1 502 President of the regional council Jacques Auxiette Départements Categories: Regions of France | Stub ... Loire-Atlantique (formerly Loire-Inférieure) is a département on the west coast of France named after the Loire River and the Atlantic Ocean. ... Maine-et-Loire is a département in west-central France. ... Mayenne is a département in northwest France named after the Mayenne River. ... Sarthe is a French département, named after the Sarthe River. ... Vendée is a département in west central France, on the Atlantics Bay of Biscay. ... Capital Amiens Land area¹ 19,399 km² Regional President Claude Gewerc (PS) (since 2004) Population  - Jan. ... Aisne is a département in the northern part of France named after the Aisne River. ... Oise is a département in the north of France named after the Oise River. ... Somme is a French département, named after the Somme River, located in the north of France. ... Categories: Stub | Regions of France ... Charente is a département in central France named after the Charente River. ... Charente-Maritime is a département on the west coast of France named after the Charente River. ... Deux-Sèvres is a French département. ... This article is about the French département. ... Capital Marseilles Area 31,400 km² Regional President Michel Vauzelle (PS) (since 1998) Population   - 2004 estimate   - 1999 census   - Density (Ranked 3rd) 4,666,000 4,506,151 149/km² (2004) Arrondissements 18 Cantons 237 Communes 963 Départements Alpes-de-Haute-Provence Alpes-Maritimes Bouches-du-Rhône Hautes-Alpes... Alpes_de_Haute_Provence is a French département in the south of France, it was formerly part of the province of Provence. ... Hautes-Alpes is a département in southeastern France named after the Alps mountain range. ... Alpes_Maritimes is a département in the extreme southeast corner of France. ... Bouches-du-Rhône is a département in the south of France named after the mouth of the Rhône River. ... Var is a département of southern France. ... The Vaucluse is a département in the southeast of France. ... Capital Lyon Land area¹ 43,698 km² Regional President Jean-Jack Queyranne (PS) (since 2004) Population  - Jan. ... Préfecture building of the Ain département, in Bourg-en-Bresse Ain is a département named after the Ain River on the eastern edge of France bordering Switzerland. ... Ardèche is a département in south-central France named after the Ardèche River. ... Drôme is a département in southeastern France named after the Drôme River. ... Isère is a département in the east of France named after the Isère River. ... Loire is a département in the east-central part of France occupying the Loire Rivers upper reaches. ... Rhône is a French département located in the central Eastern région of Rhône-Alpes. ... Savoie is a French département located in the Alps. ... Haute-Savoie is a French département, named after the Alps mountain range. ... Under the 1946 Constitution of the Fourth Republic, the French colonies of Guadeloupe, Martinique and French Guiana in the Caribbean and Réunion in the Indian Ocean became départements doutre-mer (Overseas departments) or DOMs. ... Saint-Pierre and Miquelon (French Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon) 46°47′N 56°12′W is a French overseas collectivity consisting of several small islands off the eastern coast of Canada near Newfoundland. ... A Territoire doutre-mer (TOM, French for Overseas territory) is an administrative division of France. ... The French Southern Territories (long name: Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands, French: Territoire des Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises or TAAF) are antarctic, volcanic islands in the southern Indian Ocean, south of Africa and about equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia. ... Antarctica is the continent at the extreme southern latitudes of the Earth, containing the South Pole. ...

Historical divisions

Historically, France was divided into provinces. See: Provinces of France. The Kingdom of France was organized into provinces until March 4, 1790, when the establishment of the département system superseded provinces. ...

See also

• Communauté d'agglomération
• Communauté urbaine
• List of fifteen largest French metropolitan areas by population
• French overseas departments and territories

A communauté dagglomération is a metropolitan government structure in France, created by the Loi Chevénement in 1999. ... A communauté urbaine (urban community in English) is the higher degree of intercommunal cooperation in France. ... In France an aire urbaine (literally: urban area) is roughly the equivalent of a US Metropolitan Statistical Area. ... The French Overseas Departments and Territories (often abbreviated DOM-TOM for départements doutre-mer, territoires doutre-mer) consist broadly of French-administered territories outside of Europe. ...

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